'Dream comes true' as Markovc wins gold at European Indoor Athletics Championships

The United States-based athlete led the field home in a personal best time and with fellow Briton Verity Ockenden following in third, kick-started Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s medal haul at the Championships.

Markovc, Ockenden and Amelia Quirk were all in medal contention with two laps to go before a fall for Netherlands’ Maureen Koster saw the British trio locking out the medal positions.

Coming into the home straight, Markovic and Ockenden were neck and neck, but it was the Wakefield athlete who found an extra gear to shatter her personal best and take her maiden European Indoor title in 8:46.43, with Ockenden clocking 8:46.60, being pipped to the silver medal by France’s Alice Finot in 8:46.54.

After the race, Markovc said: “It’s unbelievable! That was the goal coming into it and I wanted to keep that winning mentality. It was definitely a bit nerve-racking and I’m just really pleased that I ran confidently, stayed calm and trusted myself when I went to make a move.

“I’m really pleased with the result and it makes it even better that I’m going to be standing on the podium with Verity [Ockenden] and had some great girls on the team in the final.

“Last year, I didn’t compete as well as I wanted to and along the way I think there was a little bit of self-doubt. I’ve been really focused the last few races and I’ve just been really confident. Knowing that I was ready, trusting myself and trusting my instincts and having that positive self-talk throughout the race paid off because the last few weeks, things have really turned around for me and now I’ve crossed the line with the Union Jack around my shoulders, so that’s incredible.

“It’s a dream come true. That’s why we do this. We want to win medals and it’s going to be an amazing feeling standing on the podium.”